Control apparatus



April 30, 1940. G WITMER 2,199,124

CONTROL APPARATUS V ATTORNEY April 30, 1940. H. G. wlTMER CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Harold G. Milner. v

BYL

ATTORNEY Patented' Apr. so, 1940 UNITED STATES y CONTROL APPARATUS Harold G. Witmer, Edgewood, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 6, 1938,'seria1 No. 223,464

9v Claims.

My invention relates to control apparatus, and is particularly Well adapted for, but not limited to, controlling a device which records the presupon a selected stretch of.

invention will appear as the specification pro.-

gresses.`

I shall. describe three forms of apparatus embodying my invention,l and shall then point out the novel features thereof. in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention when applied to measuring the speed of railway trains. Figs. 2 and 3 are each diagrammaticviews. showing modified forms of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and also embodying myy invention,

Similary reference characters. refer to similar partsof each of the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference characters I and la designate the trafc rails of a stretch of railway track X over. which traic moves in both;l directions. Located at selected, spaced points along the stretch 'of trackX are. actuators MI and M2 so positioned as to. be actuated by a train operatingxalong.track X. While the distance between the selected points at which the actuators are located may be of any convenient value, the actuators are preferably located a measuredk distance apart; Theactuators MI and M2 are preferably alike, andi may be any one of the well-known Aforms of track instruments, such as, for vexample, that type covered by United States!r Letters Patent No. 1,834,077 issued to A. J. Sorensenv on December 1, 1931, wherein'the resistance is normally low but is increased due to the vibration caused by apassing train; or that type covered by United States Letters Patent No'. 2,076,928 issued to H..G.. Witmer on April' 13, 1937 whereina. normally closed contact is opened due to the passage of a train.

The reference character `RI designates an operating or stick relay associated with track instrument kMI. Relay RI is provided with a slow releasing repeater relay RPI which is energized over a simple circuit including front contact 2l of relay RI. The reference character R2' designates an operating or stick relay associated with track instrument M2, and which relay is provided with a slow releasing repeater relay RP2 energized over a simple circuit including front contact 3 of relay R2. y 5i The reference character CRI designates a control relay governed by relays RI and R2v i-n response to eastbound" traic; the reference character CR2 designates `a control yrelay govf erned by relays RI and R2 in responsetowest- 10 bound traiiic; and each relay'CRI- and CR2 governs a. multiple path of a control circuit for an electroresponsive device RD. n

The electroresponsive device RD governed by I control relay CRI or CR2 may be any desired l5 type of electroresp'onsive deviceand in the partisular embodiment of my inventionV selected as an illustration,'1 shall assume lthat device RD is any one of the well-known forms'of recording devicescapable of indicating and frecordin'gthe 20 length of time that suchdevice is energized. One formV that device RD may take is shown in the copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 216,248, filed on June 2-8, 1938, by Bernard E. OHagan for vControl*v apparatus. As 25 willl be evident from an inspection of Fig; 1, device RD'is normally deenergized, and is energized over iront contact Il) of relay` CRI or frontcontact I6.- of relay CR2, f

The reference-.character SP designates a nor- '30 mally deenergized directional relay which is energized whenever relay RI- or R2I is deenergizedv or whenever relay `CRI or CR2 is energized'the circuit for relay SP including four multiple paths,v a iirst of which is completed over back 35 contact 1 of relay RI', a vsecondv of which is completed over back contact I4 of relay R2, a third of' which is `completed over front contact 9 of relay CRIfand a fourth-of which is completed over front contact Il of relay CR2.. Relay SP '40 is preferably providedl with slow release and-slow pick-up characteristics; l

,In the normal condition of the apparatus, asl shown -in Fig. l, no train is operating uponv the selected stretch of railway track X,.so that track vr instruments MI' and M2 are unactuated-,- relaysv RI., R2, RPI- and RPZ. are energized; and relays SP', CRI and CR2 aredeenergized. y l

Having thus-described the various parts-of` the apparatusof Fig. 1 embodying my invention, I 50; shalll explain their operation for an eastboundy train', and shall at the same time trace the'circuits controlling.y each part of the apparatus.

When an eastbound train reaches track instrumenty Mt, the. actuation off that instrument' 55-y `opening front contact l to open the stick circuit for relay RI previously traced, and opening iront contact 2 to open the energizing circuit for relay RPI. Relay RPI releases at the end of its slow release period to close back contact I2 and thereby prepare a pick-up circuit for relay Ri, which circuit may be traced from terminal B through instrument MI, the winding of relay RI, and back contact I2 of relay RPI to terminal C. The releasing of relay RI also closes back contacts 5 and 1, the closing of back contact 'I of relay RI completing the first circuit for relay SP with the result that relay SP is energized and picks up at the end of its slow pick-up period. With relay RI released closing back contact 5 andbefore `relay SP is picked up opening its back contact 6, relay CRI is energized over a pick-up circuit passing from terminal B through front contact 3 of relay R2, winding of relay CRI, back contact 6 of relay SP, and b-ack contact 5 of relay RI` to terminal C. Relay CRI on picking up closes its own front contact 8 to thereby complete a stick circuit for that relay which shunts back contacts 5 and 6 of relays RI and SP, respectively. The closing of front contact s of relay CRI completes the second circuit for relay SP, and the closing of front contact I@ of relay CRI completes one path of the control circuit for device RD so that device RD is energized to start its record.

Recording device RD remains energized until such time as the train reaches track instrument M2. The actuation of instrument M2 interrupts a stick circuit for relay R2 passing from terminal B through instrument M2, the winding of relay R2 and front contact I3 of relay R2 to terminal C, with the result that relay R2 releases; thereby opening front contact I3 to open the previously traced stick circuit for relay R2, and opening front contact 3 to open the previously mentioned stick circuit for relay CRI. Relay CRI releases to open front contacts 8, 9 and I0, the last of which opens the control circuit with the result that device RD becomes deenergized and ceases to record. The closing of back contact I4 o f relay R2 completes the third circuit for relay SP through that contact, and since relay SP is energized, a pick-up circuit for relay CR2 passing from terminal B through front contact 2 of relay RI, winding of `relay CR2, back contact II of relay SP and backcontact I5 of relay R2 to terminal C is open at back contact II of relay SP so that relay CR2 remains deenergized, the control circuit for device RD remaining open at front contact IG of relay CR2. The opening of front contact 3 of relay R2 also interrupts the energizing circuit for relay RP2, and relay RP2 releases at the end of its low release period to close back contact I9 and prepare a pick-up circuit for relay R2 passing from terminal B through instrument M2, the winding of relay R2, and back contact I9 of relay RP2 to terminal C.

When the train completely passes track instrument MI, relay RI picks up over its pick-up circuit, and relay RPI also picks up. Relay RI is now held energized over its stick circuit. When the train completely passes track instrument M2, relay R2 picks up over its pick-up circuit, relay RP2 also picks up, and relay SP releases. The apparatus is now in its normal condition.

It is to be noted that device RD is energized during the interval required for the head end of a train to pass from instrument MI to instrument M2. It follows that since the distance between instruments MI and M2 is known, and since recorder RD records the interval required for a train to pass from instrument MI to instrument M2, the speed of a train operating along track X may be accurately computed and determined.

The operation of the apparatus of Fig. 1 for a westbound train is similar to that just described for an eastbound train, as will readily be apparent from an inspection of the drawings, and further detailed description is deemed unnecessary, except to point out that relay CR2 serves as a control relay for governing the control circuit for a westbound train.

It should be noted that the slow pick-up characteristics provided for relay SP permit relay CRI or CR2 to be picked up over back contact 6 or II of relay SP, prior to directional control being effected when the relay SP picks up. It should further be noted that, when the train is positioned so as to operate the second actuator with the result that the control relay CRI or CR2 is released and no longer completes an energizing circuit for relay SP, the directional control is maintained by virtue of the slow releasing characteristic of relay SP cooperating with the slow releasing characteristics of the repeater relays RPI and RP2. 'Ihat is to say, When the train is positioned so that it operates both track instruments, of when the train actuates only the second track instrument, the relay SP is controlled only by the stick relays RI and R2. It can be seen that, for an intermittent actuation of track instrument MI or M2 resulting from the slow passage of a train past the instrument, once relay RI or R2 picks up due to the intermittent actuation to energize its associated repeater relay RPI or RP2, the pick-up circuit for relay Rl or R2 is reestablished` only when relay RPI or RP2 releases at the end of its slow release period. It follows that since the relay SP will not release, when deenergized, until it reaches the end of its slow release interval, and since the energizing circuit for relay SP is not opened until relay RI or R2 picks up at the end of the slow release period of its associated repeater relay, the slow release repeater relays and the slow release, slow pick-up relay SP may be adjusted so as to prevent false operation of device RD.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus of Fig. 1 is modiiied by the provision of a track section having a track relay, and by a time element relay TER being added to the apparatus. The track rails I and la are divided by means of the usual insulated track joints 2D to form a track section, which section preferably includes the locations at which track instruments MI and M2 are located, and which section is provided with a track circuit consistingof a track battery 2| connected across the track rails at one end of the section, and the winding of track relay TR connected acrossv the track rails at the other end. Stick relay RI is now provided with a second pick-up circuit passing from terminal B through front contact 22 of relay TR, the winding of relay RI and front contact 23 of rrelay TR to terminal C. Stick relay R2 is now provided with a second pick-up circuit passing from terminal B through front contact 24 of relay TR, the winding of relay R2 and front contact 25 of relay TR to terminal f5 0. The control circuit for deviceRD-nowpasses from terminalv B through back contact 26 of relay TR, front contact- I 0- ofwrelay CRI or front contact le of relay CR2, and device RD to terminalvC. i

Relay TER is provided with back contacts 29,

30 and 3|, which-contacts open at the expiration of a predetermined interval: after relay TER isV energized, this' interval preferably being longer inY duration than the time required for the head-'- mentioned. The stick circuits for relaysCRIvv andv CR2 are each modied to include aback contact of relay TER, the stick circuity for relay CRI passing from terminal Bi through frontr contact,

3 of relay R2, the winding of relay CRI, iront` contact 8 of relay CRI and back contact. 30.of

relay TER to. terminalC; and the'fstick circuit for.

relay CR2 passing from terminal B through front contact 2 of relay RI, the winding of relay CR2, front Contact I8. of relay CR2, and back contact 3l of relay TER to terminal C.

, The operation of the apparatus of Fig. 2 similar to the operation of the apparatus of Fig. l, the track relay TR and time element relay TER being added to the apparatus of Fig. 1,toterminate the operation of device RD inthe event that atrain actuates track instrument MI or M2, and then recedes` past the track instrument it has actuated, so that the second track instrument is not actuated by the train. This isrto say: a train entering the track` section shunts relay TR with the result that relay TR releases. The release of relay TR opens the second pick-up circuits for relays Rl'and R2, and also closes back contact 26 so that the control circuit for device RD may be completedat front contact I0 of relay CRI or front contact I6 of relay CR2. For a train which actuates both track instrulments MI and M2, the operation of the apparatus the interval required for a moving train to actuate instruments MI and M2, the energizationl of relay TER, and the picking up of relay TR when the train vacates the track section, does not a'iect the operation of the apparatus. .For a train. which actuates track instrument MI or M2 to start the operation of device RD and then backs l out of the track section with the result that the other track instrument is not actuated, the track' relay TR picks up `when the track sectionis vacated by the. train to complete the second pick-up circuit for relays RI and R2 and to open back contact 26 with the result that the control circuit for recorder 'RD is opened, so that the operation oi the recorder is terminated. The control relay CRI or CRZ, as the case may beis held picked up, however, over its stick circuit, but when relay TER picks up at the end of its slow pick-up interval to open its back contacts 29, 30 and` 3l, the stick: circuit for the above'mentioned control relay is. opened .with the result. that such control relay releases.l The control rela-ybeing released, the circuit for relay TER is opened soI that relay TER releases and the apparatus is re: stored to its `normal condition.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the apparatus of vrelay R2 and back contact 28 of relay CRI toterminal C. The stick circuit for relays RI 'and R2; the pick-upand stick circuits for relays CRI and CRZ; the energizing circuits for relay SP and the control circuit for device RD are all the same as were traced in detail for theapparatus of Fig. 1. The operation of the apparatus of Fig, 3 is similar to that described in detail for Fig. 1 as will readily be 'understood by reference ,to Fig. 3.

It is to be understood that while herein de-v scribed, apparatus embodying my invention.V is employed vto control a recording device, the scope of my' invention embraces the control of any device which is desired lto be controlled by actua-v tors in a manner set forth hereinbefore.

' vention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:v

1. In combination, a stretch of railway a first track instrument located at a rst point along said stretch and a second track instrument located at a second point along said stretch and 'each being provided with a normally closed contact operable to an open positionin response to a passing train, a first operating relay, an energia' ing circuit for said first operating relay including the contact of lsaid rst track instrument, a second operating' relay, an energizing circuit for said second operating relay including the contact of said second track instrument, a slow pickup relay, twoenergizing circuits for said slow pick-up relay, each including a back contact of a different one of said rst andsecond operatingrelays, a first control relay, a pick-up circuit for r said first controlrelayincluding a back Contact of said first operating relay and a back contact of said slow pick-uprelay, @stick circuit forsaid rst control relay,` including a front contact of said second operating relay, a second control relay, a pick-up circuit for said second control relay including a back contact of said second operating relayl and a back contact of said slow pick-up relay, a stick circuit for said secondr con trol relay including a front contact of v said rst operatingrelay, an electrorespcnsive device,V and control circuit means for controlling said device governed by front contacts of said rst and secondA control relays.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a first track instrument located 4at a rst point alongsaid stretch, a second track instrument located at a second point along said stretch, a iirst operating relay, an energizing circuit for said' -rst operating relay governed by said rst track,

Fig. 11 is modified inthat the repeater relays RPI and'` track,

instrument, a second operating relay, an energizing circuit for said second operating relay governed by said second track instrument, a slow pick-up relay, a first energizing circuit for said i slow pick-up relay including a back contact of said rst operating relay, a second energizing circuit for said slow pick-up relay including a back contact of said second operating relay, a first control relay, a pick-up circuit for said rst `control relay including a back contact of said first operating relay and a back contact of said slow pick-up relay, a stick circuit for said first control relay including a front contact of said second operating relay, a second control relay, a pick-up circuit for said second control relay including a back contact of said second operating relay and a back contact of said slow pick-up relay, a stick circuit for said second control relay including a front contact of said rst operating relay, a third energizing circuit for said slow pick-up relay including a front contact of said first control relay, a fourth energizing circuit for said slow pick-up relay including a front contact of said second control relay, an electroresponsive device, and two `control circuits forysuch device each including a front contact of a dilerentone of said rst and said second control relays.

3. Apparatus for recording the arrival of trains at selected points along a stretch of railway track comprising: a stretch of railway track, a first track instrument located at a first point along said stretch, a second track instrument located at a second point along said stretch, a rst stick relay normally energized over a stick circuit governed by said rst track instrument, a second stick relay normally energized over a stick circuit governed by said second track instrument, a slow pick-up relay, a first energizing circuit for said slow pick-up relay including a back contact of said rst stick relay, a second energizing circuit for said slow pick-up relay including a back .contact of said second stick relay, a rst control relay, a pick-up circuit for said first control rela-y including a back contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said slow pick-up relay, a stick circuit for said iirst control relay including a front contact of said second stick relay, a second control relay, a pick-up' circuit for said second control relay including a back contact of said second stick relay and a back contact of said slow pick-up relay, a stick circuit for said second control relay including a front contact of said first stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said :first stick relay governed by said rst track instrument and including a back contact of said second control relay, a pick-up circuit for said second stick relay governed by said second track instrument and including a back contact of said first control relay, a normally deenergized recording device, and two energizing circuits for said device one of which is ygoverned by a front contact of said rst control relay and the other of which is governed by a front contact of said second control relay.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a iirst track instrument located at a first point along said stretch, a second track instrument located at a second point along said stretch, a first operating relay governed by said first track instrument, a second operating relay governed by said second track instrument, a slow pick-up directional relay, a first energizing circuit for said directional relay governed by a back contact of said rst operating relay, a second energizing circuit for said directional relay governed by a back contact of said second operating relay, a rst control relay, a pick-up circuit for said iirst control'relay includinga back contact of said first operating relay and a back contact of said directional relay, a stick circuit for said first control relay including a front contact of said second operating relay, a second control relay, a pick-up circuit for said second control relay including a back contact of said second operating relay and a back contact of said directional relay,-a stick circuit for said second control relay including a front Contact of said first operating relay, a third energizing circuit for said directional relay including a back Contact of said iirst control relay, a fourth energizing circuit for said directional relay including a back contact of said second control relay, a time element relay governed by said first and second control relays, means governed by said time element relay for controlling the stick circuits for such control relays, an electroresponsive device, and two control circuits for such device each circuit being governed by a diierent one of said control relays.

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track, two track instruments located at spaced points along said stretch, an electroresponsive device, control means, energizing circuit governed by said contro-l means for energizing said electroresponsive device, means governed by the track instrument iirst encountered by a train operating over said stretch in either direction for controlling said control means to establish the energizing circuit for said device, and other means governed by the other track instrument for controlling said control means to maintain the energizing circuit for said device until the train encounters said other track instrument.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with two track instruments located spaced apart along said stretch and each being provided with a normally closed contact operable to an open position in response to passing trains, a rst operating relay, circuit means governed by the contact of a first of said two track instruments for energizing said first operating relay, a second operating relay, circuit meansl governed by the contact of the second of said two track instruments for energizing said second operating relay, two normally deenergized control relays, circuit means governed by said iirst operating relay and being effective when that relay is the iirst of said two operating relays to be released for momentarily energizing and picking up a rst of said two control relays, stick circuit means for` said first control relay governed by a front contact of said second operating relay, circuit means governed by said second operating relay and being effective when that relay is the rst of said two operating relays to -be released for momentarily energizing and picking up the second of said two control relays, stick circuit means for said second control relay governed by said first operating relay, an electroresponsive device, and two energizing circuits for said device each including a front contact of a different one of said two control relays.

7. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with two track instruments located spaced apart along said stretch and each being provided with a normally closed contact operable to an open position in response to passing trains, a iirst operating relay normally energized over a stick circuit including the contact of a first of said two instruments, a rst slow release repeatei' yrelay controlled over a front contact of said first operating relay, a pick-up circuit for said iirst operating relay including the contact of said first track instrument and a back contact of said rst repeater relay, a second operating relay normally energized over a stick circuit including the contact of the second of said two instruments, a second slow release repeater relay controlled over a iront contact of saidsecond operating relay, a

lpick-up circuit for said second operating relay including the contact of said second track instrument and a back contact of said second repea-ter relay, a slow acting directional relay, two energizing circuits ior said directional relay each including a back contact of a different one 'of said operating relays, two control relays, circuit means including a back contact of said first operating relayv and a back contact of said directional relay for picking up a rst of said two control relays, stick circuit means for said first control relay including a front contact .of said second operating relay and being effective to hold said nrst control relay picked up until said second kopera-ting relay is released, circuit means including a back contact of said second operating relay and a back contact of said directional relay for pickingup the second of said two control relays, stick circuit means `for said second control relay including a front contact of said first operating relay and being effective to hold said second control relay picked up until said iirst operating relay is released, an electroresponsive device, and two control circuits for such device one circuit including a front Contact of said first control relay and the other circuit including a front contact of said second control relay.

8. In combination with a `section of railway track provided with' a track circuit including a track relay, two track instruments located atk to an open position in response to passing trains,

a first operating relay governed by the contact said track relay and a front contact of a rst of said controlrelays and the other circuit including a back contact of said track relay and a front contactlof the'second of said control relays7 circuit means governed by said rst operating relay and being effective when said first track instrument is the first of said two instruments to be enior momentarily energizing said'iirst control relay to a picked-up position, stick circuit means for said first control relay governed by said second operating relay, circuit means governed by said second operating relay and being eiective when said second track instrument is the rst of said two track instruments to' be encountered by a train operatingwover said section for momentarily energizing said second control relay to a picked-up position, stick circuit means for said second control relay governed by said first operating relay, a timeelement device controlled by said iirst and second control relays, and means governed by said time element device interposed in each said stick circuit means for removing said iirst and second operatingy relays from control of said stick circuitmeans for said second and first control relays respectively in the event that a train vacates said section after having encountered one of said two instruments but prior to encountering both said instruments.

9. The combination with a stretch of railway track provided with two track instruments 1ocated spaced apart along said stretch, a slowacting directional relay'controlled by each of said twotrack instruments, an electroresponsive deviceprovided with an energizing circuit, control relay means for controlling said energizing circuit, circuit means controlled by the one`- of said two track instruments first encountered by a train operating over said stretch in either directionv v and effective during the slow response period of said directional relay for controlling said control Acountered by a train operating over said section relay means to establish said energizing circuit, l

and other circuit means controlled Aby said control relay means and by the other of said two track instruments for controlling said control relaymeans to maintain established said energizing' circuit until said train encounters said other track instrument.

y HAROLD G. WITMER. 

